Beware of Darkness

When you dive into *Beware of Darkness*, you notice it's not just a song, but a warning wrapped in a melody. The lyrics tell us not to let appearances distract us from what truly matters in life. It's as if George Harrison were guiding us, reminding us to be aware of the illusions that can cloud our path. This idea resonates with the philosophy of the Radha Krishna Temple, something he had been exploring since associating with them. In fact, some critics consider it one of the highlights of his album All Things Must Pass.

This piece was recorded in May 1970, and George Harrison presented it to his co-producer, Phil Spector, as "the last one I wrote, the other day." The context of its creation is marked by his connection with the Radha Krishna Temple, with whom he had been working since late 1968, even producing their single Hare Krishna Mantra and helping to establish a place for them in London. In 1970, he invited some members of the movement to his Friar Park estate to help restore it and give it a more spiritual feel. It was in that environment, as he recounts in his 1980 autobiography, that he wrote *Beware of Darkness*. Some suggest that the difficulties he faced after the breakup of The Beatles and his dealings with Allen Klein also influenced the composition, giving a personal nuance to the warning about distractions. The song, which is 3 minutes and 51 seconds long, became the opening track of the second disc of All Things Must Pass, released in November 1970.